Women's Soccer Preseason Ranked No. 19

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women’s soccer team is ranked No. 19 in the Soccer America Preseason Women’s Top 25 Poll.

The Mountaineers, the defending Big 12 Conference regular-season champions, are the highest-ranked league team in today’s poll. Baylor, the conference’s defending tournament champion, is No. 22.

WVU’s spot in the Soccer America Preseason Poll is the team’s only preseason ranking. The Mountaineers, selected No. 1 by the conference coaches in the Big 12 Conference Preseason Poll, are receiving votes in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Continental Tire Preseason Poll.

In total, WVU will play four teams ranked in today’s poll: UNC, PSU, No. 8 Duke and Baylor.

The Soccer America Top 25 Poll will be released each Tuesday during the regular season.

The Mountaineers open their 2013 season this Friday, Aug. 23, at 7:30 p.m., against the Nittany Lions in the Penn State Invitational at Jeffrey Field, in University Park, Pa. WVU will face Syracuse in the Invitational on Sunday, at 2:30 p.m., also at Jeffrey Field.